Method of and means for cutting well casings or pipes



y 1942. G. E. JUSTICE 2,284,211

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR CUTTING WELL CASINGS OR' PIPES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m w m WW m G 3 3 A. 9 1|. 1! .1 4 2 /7/ d k 1 w J 7 A H M. 9.! I M M W fi -w .2 6 m Mi T 5. fi A m Y v/ 5 4 F a 6 a 3 n! w a 59 MM lzl H l- 4. L. 8 A. M 5 "W U 3 v s i .L ku mm S n W .6. %n. 4 M w y 1942- d. E. JUSTICE 2,284,211

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR CUTTING WEILL CASINGS 0R PIPES Filed May 12, 1941 2 Sheets-Shet 2 G /011GB Lu usncE,

Patented May 26, 1942 METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR CUTTING WELL CASINGS OR, PIPES George E. Justice, Houston, Tex., assignor to Houston Oil Field Material Company, Inc., Houston, Tax, a corporation of Delaware Application May 12, 194-1, Serial No. 393,041

24 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in method of and means for cutting well casings or pipes.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my pending application filed November 12, 1940, Serial No. 365,158.

One object of the invention is to provide improved means for cutting pipe from the well bore when a cut is desired to be made.

An important object of the invention is to provide improved means for cutting a pipe without necessitating the removal of the running pipe from the well bore when it is necessary to change the cutting knives.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cutting device which is adapted to be connected in the usual string of pipe and which includes means for cutting the pipe, said means being arranged so as to be insertable within, and removable from, said pipe by a wire line.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved device, of the character described, wherein its bore is arranged to receive a pipe-cutting tool, said bore having means dis posed therein for orienting the pipe-cutting .tool, whereby the proper operation of the same is assured and a more rugged device is provided.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together I with other featuresof the invention.

I The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in,

which an example of the invention is shown, and

wherein:

Figure 1 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of a cutting device constructed in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a view, similar to Figure 1, wherein the device is in cutting position,

Figure 3 is a view in elevation of the orienting sleeve, a

Figure 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on the line 4+4 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a horizontal cross-sectionalview taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 1,

Figure '7 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on the line l! of Figure 1,

taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 1, and

taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 2.

In the drawings, the numeral 10 designates an inside pipe-cutting device which is connected into a string of pipe or tubing (not shown). The cutting device 10 is provided with an elongate,

hollow, cylindrical body or housing I l which has an internally screw-threaded box 12 at its upper end and has its lower end 13 convex so that its upper end may be connected to a string of tubing or pipe and run into the well. The body II is provided with a central borel l which extends throughout the length of said body and .communicates with the .bore' of the tubing (not shown). The bore [4, below the box 12, is provided with screw threads 15, and belowsaid screw threads the bore is enlarged soas to forman enlarged bore I6.

A plurality of radial ports I! communicatebeetweenthe exterior of the body l I and the interior of the enlarged bore, 16, and are preferably placed at the lower end of said enlarged portion. A

plurality of radial slots 18 are provided in the plugs 20 may be welded or otherwise secured in the body, thus forming the outer portion of the slots 18. A sleeve 22, having external screw threads at its upper end, is screwed into the bore I4 and into the threads I 5. The lower end of the sleeve 22 depends downwardly into the chamber 16, and is provided above its lower end with a plurality of ports 23.

The body H is provided, at a point below the ports' ll and the slots I 8, with a radial port 24 which isenlarg'ed and cut so as to be circular in cross-section at its outer end and reduced at its inner end so that a triangular-shaped pin 25 may be inserted therein. It is pointed out that thepin 251s provided with an enlarged, circular head 26 which abuts the shoulder formed by the reduced inner endoi said port. The pin 25. ex-' tends inwardly a: short distanceinto the bore 14 of the housing, and is held in the body II by a nut 21 having external screw threads which screw into the threads 28 provided in the outer end of the port 24 (Figures 1 and 7). V

A cutting device A may be lowered intothe body H by a wire line, or by any other suitable means. The device A is provided with an elongate circular mandrel 29 which. is provided with external screw threads 30 at its lower end and a reduced, upstanding, screw-threaded pin 3| at opening 46 and cause the mandrel and the sleeve to rotate until the pin and the slot 4'! are in verticalalinement. Then, the sleeve and the mandrel may pass downwardly until the pin 25 engages the upper, end of the slot 47. Since the sleeve and the mandrel are rigidly secured to- Surrounding the mandrel, at a point opposite the ports I1 and the slots I8, is a sleeve 34 which has its upper end 35 underlying theoutwardly sloping shoulder 33 and tapered correspondingly to said shoulder so that a continuous outwardly sloping surface is had. The upper portion of the sleeve 34 that does not underlie the sloping shoulder 33 extends upwardly past the tapered surface 35 of said sleeve.

A plurality of cutter deflecting plates 31 are secured to the sloping top.3 5 at points .inregister with the-triangular facesof thetriangularshapedportion 32 .of the mandrel 29: The plates 3.! maybe held on the shoulder 33 by screws 38 or other suitable means. The outer surface of the'sleeve 34 is reduced at a'point below the ta-' pered surface 35, and is providedwitha plurality of outwardly directed pins 39' at its lower end.

Below the sleeve 34 a portion of the mandrel 29 is surrounded by a tubular sleeve 45 whichfits snugly and slidably engages over the mandrelv 29. The sleeve 49 is provided with a plurality of elongated slots 4|, and the mandrel 29 is provided with a plurality ofioutwardly. directed pins 42v whicharemovable within said slots. It is pointed out that the pins 42 maybe screwed into the mandrel 29 orotherwise 'afixed thereto; Thus, the mandrel 29 and the sleeve 43 are locked together so that they' may not rotate in relation to each other.

The. sleevelfl has a sliding. fit within the bore l4 of the body a nd.extends downwardly'to substantially the end of the mandrel; The lower end of the mandrel is externally screw-threaded, and carries an internally screw-threaded'nut 43 which abuts the lower end of the sleeve 40; thus securely fastening said sleeve'upon the mandrel. The upper end of the sleeve 49 is. provided with a circular, countersunk, elongate recess 44, the V up'perend of which surrounds the sleeve 34, and is provided with a. pair of opposed openings 45 which receive the pins 39 of the sleeve 34. Thus, 1

the'sleeve'34 and the sleeve 40 are connected and a limited telescopic movement between the two is allowed.

Underlying the sleeve 34 a Jid tliev bottom of the recess .44, and confined therebetween, is a coiled spring 45. The spring 45wi1l urge the sleeve 34 to, the position shown in Figure lat all times, unless downward pressureis exerted I tending lug 6|.

upon the sleeve34. Thus, it .can be seen that the spring'45' maybe compressed as shown in Fig-Q ure 2 so asgto allowmovement of the sleeve .34 downwardly;gbut when the pressure is released from the sleeve 34,'said spring will move it to its the pin 25 will ride up the edges ofthe'helical '1 reduced and internally screw-threaded so as to receive the pin 3| of the mandrel 29. Thus, the mandrel 29 and the head 48 are connected. A plurality of milling means or cutters, or knives 5| are pivotally carried by the head 48, and are mounted in a plurality of upwardly extending slots 52 provided in the lower end of said head. Theknives or cutters 5| are so positioned as to lie against the faces of-the triangular portion 32 of the mandrel 29, so that their outer edges, when in the position shown in Figure 1, may not extend outwardly :farther than the circumferencerof'the head 48. It is pointed out that a portion of the head 48 will slide between the knives 5| and extend downwardly past the pivot point of said knives which are in alinement with the portion 3B.of the sleeve 34. It is also to-be noted that'the knives 5| arein alinement with the deflecting plates 31. V V The upperend'of the head 48 is reduced and carries circular packing 53 which extends outwardly a slight distance from the circumference of said head. The uppermost end of'the head 48 is provided with an internally screw-threaded opening 54 to which is suitably attached a fishingneck 55. This fishing neck is provided with a plurality of downwardly directed ports 56which communicate with the interior of the head 48.

Above the pin 3| of the mandrel 29 there is provided a plurality of outwardly directed ports 51 'so. that fluid may flow through the ports 55,

through the head 48, out through the ports 51, and down through the enlarged bore 6, and either out through the opening I! or the slots "3. With thisconstruction it'is possible to wash as-the cut is being made, due to the fact that as soon as the ports 51 move to a point below the lowerend'of the sleeve 22 the fluid may wash the knives and the cuttings.

The sleeve 40 is provided with an elongate slot 58 which lies beneath the slot 41.. As will'be noted infthe drawings, the slot 58 is considerably shorter than the slot 41. Lying within the slot 58 is a rocker'arm 59 which is pivoted near its central portion on a pin 60. The lowermost end of the'arm 59 is provided with aninwardly ex- The slot 53 is provided with a port 62 which communicates with the interior of the sleeve 40. i'

Themandrel 29 is provided with a recess 53 which isthe same shape as the lug 6|, only somewhatlargen'so that the lug 6| may move in and out of said recess. When the mandrel is within the sleeve 49, in the position shown-in Figure 1, the pin 25 will depress the rocker arm 59 against the tension of a spring 64, and move it out of said recess. It is pointedout that as the tool is run intothe well, the spring 64 will urge the uppermost, end of the rocker arm 59 outwardly and keep the lug. 5| engaged within the recess 63.

In operation, the body or housing II is conheated to the, tubing or other running means to be used and inserted into a well casing 55.

'When the position has been reached at'which it is desired to cut, the pipe-cutting device is lowered into the well, preferably by a wire line. The orienting shoe 46, due to its helical shape,will strike the pin 25 and aline said pin with the slot 4'|.' As the pin 25 rides up within the slot 41, it will strike the rocker arm 59 which has been previously urged into its locking position by the spring 64. The pin 25 will push the upper end of said arm inwardly, thereby removing the lug 6| from the recess 63 and unlocking the mandrel and the sleeve 40. At this time the head 48 is within the sleeve 22 and the knives are in the position shown in Figure 1. It is pointed out that shear pins 66 may be employed to hold said knives in such a position.

It is also pointed out that by means of the orienting device herein mentioned, the knives 5| will at all times be in position so that they may be moved outwardly through the slots Hi. This is accomplished by applying pump pressure down throughthe tubing into the housing N. This pump pressure will flow downwardly through the bore of the tubing and will enter the housing, striking the upper end of the head 48, and by means of the packing 53, will act upon said head to move the same downwardly. It is pointed out that a portion of the fluid'is free to flow down through the ports 56, through the head and out through the ports 51 so as to allow circulation of the -,fiuid around the cutting knives before they reach their fully extended position as shown in Figure 2.

As the pump pressure is applied, the tubing is rotated and the housing, being connected to the tubing, will also be rotated and carry the knives aroundtherewith. As'is obvious, as the pump pressure is increased, the head 48 will be moved farther downwardly, thus moving the knives 5| farther outwardly through the slots l8. The portion of the head 48 lying between the knives 5| will strike the upper portion 36 of the sleeve 34, thereby moving the sleeve downwardly against the tension of the spring 45'. The pin 42, riding within the slots 4| of the sleeve 40, will keep the sleeve and the mandrel in alinement as well as the pins 39 of the sleeve 34 riding within the I slots of 'theupper portion ofthe sleeve 40. Thus, all of the parts are locked in alinement and the mandrel is free to move downwardly as tated and the pump pressure increased so as to completely out the casing65.

'As the head as is pumped downwardly, the

packing 53 will-pass the ports 23, thus allowing all the fluid to flow through said ports, and thereby indicate to the operator that the'cut is completed. l

. oftentimes the knives 5| will break or become dull, and in such instances it is desirable t replace said knives. To accomplish this removal of the knives, the pump pressure acting upon the head 48 is shut ofi and'a suitable fishing tool or overshot is lowered and attached to the fishing neck 55. When said fishing tool or overshot engages the'fishing neck 55, the neck may thenbe pulled upwardly, thereby moving the head 48 upwardly whereby the knives 5| will be 'with-' Thus, the entire as-' drawn from the slots |B. sembly A is withdrawn from the bore H and up through the tubing. When thehead 48 is pulled upwardly, the mandrel 29 will slide upwardly into the position at which it was originally run into the well; thus allowing the rocker arm 59 to again engage within therecess 63 and lock the sleeve 40 and the mandrel 29 together. In this manner the knives may be readily changed and the device again lowered into the well. During this procedure the knives will again enter the slots l8 and will continue to cut on the same plane or at the same place on which they were originally cutting. This is due to the fact that the'position between the casing 65 and the body H has not been changed, because the body does not have to be moved in order to remove the knives.

It is pointed out that while the knives are within the slots I8, said slots act to reenforce said knives and prevent their moving in relation to the body I. As can be seen in all cutting operations, where it is necessary to use several .sets of knives, the plane of cutting after each or a complete section of the pipe. As can be seen, I

all of these cutting operations may be easily performed with this type of structure.

Thus, a structure is had in which the knives may be quickly and easily changed a number oftimes and reinserted into the, well a number of times without the necessity of orienting the original position each time between the body H and casing 65, and resulting in a much faster cutting or removing of a section of said casing.

Various changes, alterations and modifications may be made in the size, shape and'arrangement of the herein described elements, within the scope of the'appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is '1. A pipe-cutting device for lowering into a pipe in a well bore including, a housing having a plurality of openings therein, cutting means movable within the housing and through the openings, means for orienting the cutting means within the housing, means for guiding the cutting means through said openings and into engagement with the wall of the pipe whereby a 'cut may be made, and means for interlocking the cutting means and the housing whereby said cutting means and said housing mayberotated so that a cut may be made.

2. A pipe-cutting device which is adapted to be lowered into a well bore including, a housing having'a plurality of openings, cuttingmeans movable within the'housing and through the openings, means for orienting the cutting meanswithin the housing whereby the cutting means ;may be removed and reinserted any number of whereby said cutting means and said housing may be rotated'so that a cut maybe made.

3. A pipe-cutting device which is adapted to be lowered into a well bore including, a'housing having a plurality of openings therein, cutting means movable within the housing and through the openings-means 1'1'01 orienting the cutting means and said housing means within 'the housing, means for moving said cutting means into cuttingposition after the samehas been'orlented and means for interlocking the cutting means andlthe housing whereby said cuttingmeans and said housing may be rotated so thata cut may be made. 7

4. A pipe-cutting device which is adapted to be lowered intoa well bore including, a housing having a plurality'of openings therein, cutting means movable within thehousing and through the openings, means for orienting thejcutting means within the housing, means for moving said cutting means into cutting position after tor-and housing and out through-the openings;

meansonr the upper end of said cuttingmeans'.

responsive'to fluid pressure-so as to move said cutting means into cutting position, means for the same have'been oriented, and means for interlockingthe cutting means and the housing whereby said .cutting'means and said housing" may be rotatedso'that a cut may be -made.

5. Apipe-cuttin'g device'which 'is adapted to be lowered into a well bore including, a housing I having a pluralityof openings therein, cutting means movable within the housing and through the openings, means for orienting the-cutting means withinthe housing, means for moving said cutting means into cutting position after the'same have been oriented, and means for washing while the cut is being made. g 6. Aipipe cutting device for, lowering intov a pipe ina-well: bore including, a housing having an opening therein, cutting means movable within" the housing and through the opening, meansfor orienting the cutting. means within the housing,

, means for deflecting the cutting means through said opening and into engagementwith thewall for orienting the mandrel within the housing, and means formoving the mandrel downwardly and thereby the cutters outwardly so that a cut may bemade. a

r 12. 'Afpipe-cutting device including, a hous ing having a plurality of openings therein and an axial bore, extending therethrough, a mandr'elmovable within. the housing, a headon one end of said mandrel, a sleeve slidably confined on the opposite end of said, mandrel, cutters pivotally carried by said mandrel, and means for moving said sleeve and thereby the cutters into cutting position o that a cut may be made when the housing; isrotated.

13. A pipe-cutting device including a housing having an opening, a cutter carrier movable into and out of the housing, a cutter movably carried by the carrierymeans to project the cutterthrough said opening of the housing, means of the pipe whereby a section of the pipe'may'be cut, and means for interlocking the cutting means and the-housing whereby'said cutting] a cut may be made."

7. A pipe-cutting device for lowering in a well 'bore including, a housing having a plurality of openings therein, cutting means slidable' within saidhousing, means connected to said cutting means and within said housing for orienting the may be rotated 'so'that V in the housing coacting with the carrier to orient the latter thereby to cause the cutter to register with theopening upon replacement of the cutter *carrier into the housing following; removal of the cutter "carrier from the housing, and

" spring means carried by'the cutter carrier for cutting means within said housing, and means) for eflecting movement of said cutting means, through said openings after said housing is predeterminately'pcsitioned within the wellbore;

8. A pipe cutting device for lowering in a well bore including, a housing havinga plurality of openings therein, a tubular fluid-pressure receiving conductor connected to the upper end of said housing whereby said housing is suspended therefrom, cutting means movable within and through" the-conductor- ;and housing and out throughthe openings, and pressure responsive means for actuating said cutting means and a forcing said cutters out through the openings;

' 9, A pipe-cutting device for lowering in a'well j bore including, a housing having a plurality of openings therein, a tubularconductor connected moving said cutter back into the housing, preparatory to removal of the cutter carrier from the housing. e l4. A pipe cutting device adapted to be lowered into a well bore, including a housing having an opening, cutter carrying means movable into andf-out of the-housing, means to effect movement of the cutter through said opento the upper end'of said "housing'whereby said f housing is suspended therefrom, cutting means movablewithin and through the conductor and housing and out through the openings, means onthe upperend of said cutting means respon' sive to fluid pressureso as to'move said cutting means into cutting position, and means for orienting thecutting means and the housing when said cutting means is moved into said housing.

10. A pipe-cutting device for lowering in, a well bore including, a housing having a plurality of openings therein,'a tubular conductor coning and thereby out of the housing, and means for orienting the cutter carrying means whereby following removal and upon replacement in the housing to dispose the cutter in registry with the opening of the housing. 7

15. A'pipecutting device in accordance with claim 14, wherein there are means for moving the cutter back into the housing subsequent to movement thereof out of the housing, thereby, to enable the cutter carrying means to be bodily removed-from thehousing.

16, Agpipev cutting device in accordance with claim 14,, wherein' there are spring means formovingthe cutter back into the housing subsequent to movement thereof out of the housing,

thereby to enable the cutter carrying means to be bodily removed from the housing.

'17. A pipe cutting device in accordance with '.claim *14, wherein the opening of, the housing has a Wall formedto engage the cutter upon movement. of the cutter out of the housing thereby to cause theliousing to move the cutter nected to the upper end of said housing whereby said housing is suspended therefrom, cutting means movable within and through the conduc- 'in a circleto effect the out upon rotation of the housing. 18. In a pipe cutting device adapted to be lowered into a well bore, a housingga unit movable into-and out of the housing and including milling means andjcarrying means for said milling means, means to mount said milling means on the carrying means for movement in one position thereof to lie exteriorly of the housing so as to cut the pipe, and in a second position to lie inwardly of the exterior of the housing whereby to enable the unit to be moved into and out of the housing, means to actuate the milling means to occupy said two positions, means to orient the unit upon reinsertion of the unit in the housing thereby to cause the milling means to be disposed in its original position with relation to the housing, subsequent to removal of the unit to replace or sharpen the milling means, and means for effecting rotation of the milling means by and upon rotation of the housing.

19. A'pipe cutting device in accordance with claim 18, wherein the means to actuate the milling means to lie inwardly of the exterior of the housing includes a spring actuated device which upon removal of the unit from the housing effects movement of the milling means to said second position in which latter position the milling means lies inwardly of the exterior 'of the housing. 7

20. A pipe cutting device in accordance with claim ,18, wherein the means for efiecting rotation of the milling means by and upon rotation of the housing includes means to interlock the housing and milling means together.

21. In a pipe cutting device adapted to be lowered into a well casing a rotatable guide member movable into and out of the casing to and from a predetermined position therein, a cutting member movable into and out of the casing adapted to engage said guide member so as to be guided thereby into engagement with the casing, and means to cause rotation of the guide member and thereby the cutting member to effect cutting of the casing.

22. In a pipe cutting devicein accordance with claim. 21, wherein there is means to connect the members together to operate in unison.

23. A method of cutting well casings or the like wherein the cutting means is removable from the casing and is replaceable therein to occupy the same position with relation to the casing upon replacement, which resides in removably disposing a cutting means within a housing and lowering the cutting means and its housing to the point of out, then in projecting the cutting means to lie exteriorlyof the house to effect the out, then in withdrawing means from the housing while the latter remains fixed to enable the cutting means to be replaced or sharpened, and then in reintroducing the cutting means into the housing and reprojecting same from the housing so that the cutting means will continue its out point of inception of the cut.

24 A method of cutting well casings or the like wherein thecutting means is removable from the casing and is replaceable therein to occupy the same position with relation to the casing upon replacement, which resides in lowering a combined cutting means and guiding means therefor into the casing to a predetermined point of cut so as to position the cutter with respect to said point of cut, then in withdrawing the cutting means from the casing while the guiding means remains stationary within the latter at the point of out, thereby to permit sharpening or replacing of the cutting means, and then reintroducing the cutting means into the well and in engagement with the guiding means so that the cutting means will be guided and thereby positioned to continue its out at the point of inception of the cut.

' GEORGE E. JUSTICE.

at the same 

